Moving Cougar HC Front Cap

[Sulphur1]

We have had some cracking to the internal ply covering the cap in the front bedroom area after bouncing through some huge pot holes.
I recently read about repairs to the front wall / chassis of a fifth wheel with side wall cracks. It included easing the front cap out enough to attach a clamp. I need to similarly move the cap out enough to allow me to drop the filon underside down so I can check the welding of the pin box supports and front cross members to the main frame.
I found after removing all the retaining screws that the filon underside is still 'captured' between the cap and the pin box side mounting plates. I hope this makes sense! - The pin box protrudes through a hole in the filon underside and not a just a cut out as expected.
After removing the hitch do I just start working my way up each side equally taking out screws until I can ease it out enough (possibly about 2 inches) to drop the underside down and out the way?
My main concern is that the cap is strong enough to hang from the top screws & there is enough screws in the top to stop it falling off! Will try to attach some ropes.
Any advice is appreciated, thanks Jon.

[Sulphur1]

No one? A lot of views.

[CaptnJohn]

Too big a job for this old man to even consider. Best of luck.

[Sulphur1]

Thanks John.
Unfortunately the years are catching me too but there's no-one in my state that do this work & usually a $A10,000 bill if a welding repair is needed whilst travelling.
I dropped the pin box out & almost all of the cap screws out on one side. Could get no movement at the bottom of the cap. So not to be beaten tried a different tack.
The filon underside is very flexible so I put some scaffold pipe about a foot back from the front and let the filon fold down & pulled it back on itself. This allowed me enough space to get in behind & inspect all of the inside welds. Relieved to find no cracks & all looked good. Will glue & screw the wood battens used to hold the filon up as all the staples had let go from the ob floor.
Would be good to cut some access holes in the filon near the cap but it may weaken it to the point of splitting if doing this again. Would have also been good to weld some gussets in too.
So will watch the sides closely when lifting off the hitch & not risk creating more work (problems!) at this stage.
Can only surmise that the cracks in the internal ply were caused by compression from the heavy roof & the jarring from the chassis. There's not much support behind the cap (4 x horizontal 'paper' thick aluminium battens holding the curved ply & a wardrobe side). The Fifth Airborne shocker probably helped.
Cheers

[CaptnJohn]

Great to see you are moving forward. Happy to see you found less than the worst scenario. Very nice you can still do that type of thing. Wish I could but old age caught up with me faster than I hoped. Good luck going forward.